Debbie Yow resigns: Maryland issues statement

The University of Maryland just issued a statement on the resignation of Debbie Yow:

"After a 16-year tenure in which Maryland Athletics has seen unprecedented success, Deborah A. Yow is resigning her position as Director of Athletics at the University of Maryland, effective July 9, 2010. She has accepted the position of Director of Athletics at N.C. State University near her family home in North Carolina.

During her service at Maryland, a 16-year period in which a remarkable 54 percent of Maryland’s 37 national championships have been won, the department has completed a $180 million expansion and upgrade of facilities, has had steadily improving academic results among its student-athletes, has balanced each of its 16 budgets and has won a remarkable 20 team national championships – among the top programs in the nation.

In an era when athletic directors move frequently, Debbie Yow came to Maryland, set a vision for Terrapin Athletics and stayed the course until the majority of her goals have been met. She has been a steady and visionary leader.

Reflecting on her tenure at Maryland she said, “I have been honored to serve Maryland under two of America’s best university presidents, Dr. Brit Kirwan and Dr. Dan Mote. Much of the credit for how far we have come as an athletic program clearly goes to our coaches and staff. These are the hardest working and finest people I have ever known. In regard to facility upgrades, I especially recognize the excellent work of Coach Gary Williams and the leadership of Senator Mike Miller that made the building of Comcast Center possible and Coach Ralph Friedgen and the Maryland Gridiron Network that were keys in the expansion of the Gossett Football Team House and Byrd Stadium.

“Our faithful fans and donors have also been the lifeblood of our success,” she said. “With our excellent facilities, improved academic performance, our sound financial standing and our recent recruiting success across the 27 sports, the future is bright for the Terps. This is a good time for new leadership to pick up from here and move forward.”

I understand her ties to NCST becasue of her sister, but this is fantastic news for UMD! Most of the $180 million expansion was in the pipeline before she arrived. The biggest accomplishment she took credit for was pulling the athletic department out of the red, when in reality that was done by Pepsi's exclusive contract with the campus, put in place the year before she arrived. She walked into an athletic department that was all ready growing and on the way up. All she did was allow most of the programs to maintain mediocrity. She wasn't a bad AD, but she certainly wasn't the god-send some people make her out to be. Average at best.